1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of devices employed to dispose of used syringes, and in particular to devices used to collect and then grind up and melt used syringes.
2. Statement of the Problem
Hypodermic syringes are widely used in hospitals and other medical facilities for a variety of purposes, including, for example, drawing of blood and other patient fluid samples, and for administration of medication. Such hypodermic syringes are commonly provided as individually prepackaged, sterilized, disposable items intended for use a single time after which they are discarded, thereby avoiding relatively costly and time-consuming re-sterilization. However, disposal of used syringes must be accomplished in a manner that safely avoids injury to medical personnel, such as inadvertent needle punctures and potentially contaminating contact with the used syringe. In particular, it is imperative to minimize exposure of medical personnel to dangerous organisms such as HIV and hepatitis viruses that may be present in used syringes. It is also highly desirable to dispose of used syringes in a manner that minimizes the opportunity or risk of unauthorized reuse, for example, by drug abusers. Finally, improper disposal of medical waste poses a danger to the general public.
A number of devices and processes have been invented in the past to deal with disposal of used syringes and needles, including the following:
______________________________________ Inventor Patent No. Issue Date ______________________________________ Swallert 3,589,276 Jun. 29, 1971 Anderson 3,750,966 Aug. 7, 1973 Baker, et al. 4,662,516 May 5, 1987 Gianni 4,466,538 Aug. 21, 1984 Dryden, et al. 3,926,379 Dec. 16, 1975 Hughes 3,756,520 Sept. 4, 1973 Nakamura 4,545,540 Oct. 8, 1985 Pepper 4,488,643 Dec. 18, 1984 Musselman 3,958,765 May 25, 1976 Montalbano 3,929,295 Dec. 30, 1975 Johan, et al. 3,683,733 Aug. 15, 1972 Ross 4,406,571 Sep. 27, 1983 Harper, et al. 4,619,409 Oct. 28, 1986 Pugliese, et al. 4,565,311 Jan. 21, 1986 Wilson, et al. 4,618,103 Oct. 21, 1986 Kirksey 4,576,281 Mar. 18, 1986 ______________________________________
Swallert discloses an apparatus for destruction of hospital waste comprising a grinder which grinds the waste into small particles or powder, and a device for heat sterilization and compression of the powder into briquettes.
Anderson discloses a grinding device with a pair of counter-rotating toothed rolls which can fracture a syringe into a plurality of discrete pieces.
Baker, et al, disclose a wall-mounted collection container for used syringes. The top surface of the unit has a convolved opening through which syringes are collected in a thermoplastic liner inside the unit. The liner and its contents are periodically removed from the unit and heated in the course of sterilization to melt the liner around the debris.
Gianni discloses a portable disposal bottle for hypodermic needles. The bottle has a cap assembly designed to facilitate dropping used needles into the bottle in an orientation to optimize its numerical capacity. Kirksey shows another approach to this problem.
Dryden, et al., disclose a syringe disintegrator in which syringes are milled into particles and treated with a liquid disinfectant. Wilson shows another variation of this same general type.
Pepper discloses a collection container for used syringes having a flexible, resilient one-way valve to allow insertion of the syringe into the container while preventing re-emergence of the syringe from the container.
Musselman discloses a type of syringe and needle grinder.
Montalbano discloses a grinder for destroying syringes. An in-feed mechanism insures that each syringe is properly aligned to enter the grinder. FIGS. 10 through 12 show an alternative embodiment in which a pivotably mounted receptacle 84 accepts a syringe and then rotates to drop the syringe into the grinder.
Johan, et al., disclose a mechanism for cutting individual hypodermic needles to prevent their reuse. Pugliese, et al., disclose another variation in which the syringe is cut into two pieces.
Harper, et al, disclose a large-scale hospital waste disposal system with a dual conveyor arrangement to provide positive delivery of large waste containers to a disintegrator comprised of two large counterrotating hammer mills.
The Hughes, Nakamura, and Ross references are only of passing interest.